Comparison of Ketoprofen Gum and Ketoprofen Gel for Pain Relief after Activation of Orthodontic Appliances

Background and Aim: Pain control is important for both patients and clinicians in orthodontics. The researchers have used different modalities for this purpose, each having its own advantages and disadvantages. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of ketoprofen gum and gel for pain relief after activation of fixed ortho-dontic appliances. Materials and Methods: In this double-blind controlled randomized clinical trial, 115 patients between 14-29 years who had pain in previous sessions, were randomly divided into three experimental groups of ketoprofen chewing gum, ketoprofen gel and placebo chewing gum. All patients were instructed to use the gum and gel three times daily for three days after activation of fixed orthodontic appliances. Patients recorded their level of pain at two, six and 24 hours and two, three and seven days using a 5-score visual analogue scale (VAS). Two-way and repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare differences in the pain scores among the three groups. Results: Eighty-seven patients (54 women, 33 men) completed the questionnaires. The mean pain score decreased over time in both males and females in all groups (P<0.05). However, repeated measures ANOVA showed significantly lower mean pain score in females (P<0.001). The mean pain score was also slightly (but not significantly) lower in ketoprofen chewing gum group compared to gel and placebo groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Although ketoprofen chewing gum was more effective for pain relief, this difference did not reach statsitcial significance. The highest pain score was observed after six hours, and decreased thereafter. Key Words: Orthodontic Appliances, Pain, Ketoprofen, Ketoprofen topical gel, Chewing Gum